Page 70 of Westward

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“I don’t know how you raise three kids on your own.”

“I’ve got help,” he countered.

“Maybe, but not all the help. You still do a shit ton on your own.”

“I do, but they’re family.”

“Yeah, they are.”

“Hey, I just wanted to say sorry.”

I frowned, surprised that he would even bring it up. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

“Okay, I won’t bullshit you.”

His lips twitched. “I’m sorry for being a jerk. Long hours, said mentioned kids, and just life. Well, I am a jerk sometimes. An asshole, to be fair. So I’m sorry for lashing out at you. You’re just trying to figure out how to help this town, and it’s not like you’re trying to take credit for shit. You know?”

“I’m not some savior for Ashford Creek. I just have a shit ton of money I don’t know what to do with.”

“I take it you’re not going to buy a yacht for the lake?”

“Oh yes, the Ashford Creek yacht. That would totally go over well with our environmental committee.”

“That wouldn’t even go over well with your mother,” Thatcher said dryly.

“Considering she’s Treasurer of the Environmental Committee…” I let my voice trail off, feeling awkward as hell.

And then Thatcher moved forward, arms outstretched. I hugged him back tightly, slapping his back before he took the step down off the porch again.

Something was going on with Thatcher, and I would figure it out. When I got home.

To this small town that would be my own again.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Thatcher asked, his eyes narrowed.

“No reason. Just dreading things.”

“You’re going to need to make a choice, you know.”

My gaze shot to his, and I frowned. “What?”

“You’re going to need to make a choice. It sucks, and I hate that you do. But you and Elizabeth are strong, and you’ll weather this. I don’t know why you didn’t when you were younger, but then again, we all make stupid decisions when we’re kids. And you were kids.”

Considering Thatcher had twins when he was eighteen, I knew that he was speaking from experience.

“I know. Lizzie and I are working on it.”

“You’re going to figure out a way to make it work, but you’re going to have to get out of your own head to do so. Other people depend on you.”

“You don’t have to tell me that, I know.” I shook my head. “Between my agent, all of the staff that helped me get through this whole process, the team, the organization itself, my coach, everybody. Hell, we even hired another trainer this past year..” I gestured to my knee. “We even have two trainers who work solely with goalies most days.”

“You guys have pucks coming at your head more often than not. You have to do the fucking splits on the ice.”

“Hey, being flexible doesn’t hurt.”